Isolator crib bank

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an isolator crib bank. A filtering unit or module is provided for supplying a filtered, uniform flow of air through a group of cribs. The group of cribs is constructed with a frame structure and other apparatus which is attached to the filtering unit.

United States Patent Inventors Steven H. Weinberg St. Paul; Wayne F. Helm, Minneapolis, both of Minn. App]. No. 859,845 Filed Sept. 22, 1969 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee Sci-Med, Inc.

Minneapolis, Minn.

ISOLATOR CRIB RANK 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Fig.

U.S. Cl 312/236, 5/93, 128]] B Int. Cl A47b 77/08, A47d 7/00, A6lb 19/00 Field oiSearcli 312/236; 5/8, 284, 93,97; 128/1 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,688,200 10/1928 Morgenthaler 5/97 X 2,813,768 ll/1957 Renn 312/236 3,084,492 4/1963 Dorsak et al 128]! B X FOREIGN PATENTS 156,072 10/1932 Switzerland; 5/284 1,130,332 2/1957 France 128/1 B OTHER REFERENCES Hospital Supply Co. et al. (Sloane) 1922, pg. 244, 5/284 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Wayne B. Easton ABSTRACT: The invention relates to an isolator crib bank. A filtering unit or module is provided for supplying a filtered, uniform flow of air through a group of cribs. The group of cribs is constructed with a frame structure and other apparatus which is attached to the filtering unit.

ISOLATOR CRIB BANK The invention relates to a new and improved isolator crib bank.

Infants in a hospital are more vulnerable to developing infectious diseases than adults and it is desirable to provide them with a relatively germfree environment. The invention is directed to an isolator crib bank in which a filtered, uniform flow of air is continuously and unidirectionally moved through the interior spaces of the cribs thereof. A filtering unit or module is used for supplying such air and a frame structure and other apparatus is used for constructing multiple crib enclosures through which the air is directed.

A main object of the invention is to provide a new and improved isolator cn'b bank.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing and appended claims.

In the drawing:

The drawing shows a perspective view of an isolator crib bank embodying the invention.

The isolator crib bank has as a main part thereof an elongated, rectangularly shaped filtering module or unit which is relatively narrow compared to its height. The unit 10 has an end wall 12 having two rectangularly shaped air inlet openings closed by grilles 14 and 16 and a sidewall 18 having four rectangularly shaped air outlet openings closed by grilles 21, 22, 23 and 24. Grilles 21 and 22 are positioned in side-by-side relation to each other above grilles 23 and 24 which are also in side-by-side relation to each other. The set of grilles 21 to 24 occupy most of the area of wall 18 leaving unoccupied only relatively smaller areas on the left side and bottom thereof.

Inside the unit 10 immediately adjacent the grilles 4 and 16 is a low-efficiency filter (not shown). Inside the unit 10 immediately adjacent the air outlet grilles 21 to 24 is a HEPA filter (not shown), the letters of which stand for high-efficiency particulate arrestors." HEPA filters are 99.99 percent efficient in removing airborne particulates as small as 0.3 micron and are normally made of microglass fibers and organic binders. This type of filter is manufactured as a single sealed unit to prevent leaks and channeling of nonfiltered air. Uniform porosity of HEPA filters provides a uniform airflow.

Also contained in the unit 10, but not shown, is a blower and an electric motor therefor. The blower has the function of drawing air in through the air intake grilles 14 and 16 and forcing the air out through the air outlet grilles 21 to 24. The air outlet grilles 21 to 24 are of an aerodynamic design so as to accommodate and facilitate the laminarizing of the air flowing therethrough in conjunction with the HEPA filter.

Air-conditioning apparatus may also be contained in the unit 10 for controlling the temperature and humidity of the air but such apparatus forms no part of the invention per se.

A frame structure is provided for a crib bank which in this instance is illustrated as comprising four baby cribs. The frame structure may be attached to the unit 10 in various ways as will be obvious and well understood and thus no particular way is disclosed herein. Each of the cribs has the same type of construction as the other cribs and a description of one will also serve as a description for the others.

Referring to the grille 21 and the air outlet closed thereby, a pair of horizontally extending guide tracks 30 and 31 are attached to the unit 10 at the lower leftand right-hand corners of the grille 21. The guide tracks have mutually facing slots and a rectangularly shaped pallet 34 is disposed between the which have mutually facing slots. When the pallet 36 is in its most inward position the screen 37 may be pulled up with the side edges thereof inserted in the slots of the guide tracks 40 and 41. The fifbetween the screen and slots may be snu so that the screen 15 held In its raised position by friction or ot er retaining means (not shown) may be provided for securing the screen in its raised position.

The crib is completed by providing side panels 44 and 45 which are preferably of polycarbonate or other transparent material so that an infant in the crib is readily viewable. Frames for the side panels 44 and 45 may be integrally formed with the horizontal and vertical guide tracks as illustrated or may be fabricated in other commonly known ways. The bank of cribs may be partially supported by two legs 48 and 49 if desired.

When an infant in a crib is to be attended to for a diaper change, or other treatment and care, the screen 37 is caused to be retracted to its housing 36 and the pallet 34 is pulled out as indicated in the crib-adjoining grille 24.

Filtered air emanating from the air outlets through the grilles 21 to 24 flows horizontally through the cribs and the uniform flow thereof is not materially disturbed by its flow through the screens 37. An adjustable airflow rate of about 30 to f.p.m. is barely perceptible to an occupant of a crib and, as the airflow is unidirectional in an outwardly direction, the longest time an airborne micro-organism could spend in a crib would only be a second or two. Micro-organisms clinging to an occupant would also be constantly urged to be freed and thus the occupant is subjected to a form cleaning action by the filtered air passing through the crib.

An arrangement is also contemplated wherein the filters l4 and 23 and the airflow are reversed so that an infected patient would be effectively isolated from the rest of the ward.

We claim:

1. An isolator crib bank comprising an elongated rectangularly shaped air-filtering unit, said unit having a sheet metal housing with at least one air inlet opening and a plurality of rectangularly shaped grilles forming air outlet openings, said grilles being in a vertical wall of said housing, a pair of horizontally extending guide tracks extending outwardly from the lower corners of each of said grilles, a flat rectangularly shaped pallet slidably disposed between each pair of said guide tracks so as to be movable inwardly and outwardly relative to said vertical wall, a pair of vertically extending guide tracks extending upwardly from the outward ends of each pair of said horizontally extending guide tracks, a roll-type screen mounted at the front edge of each of said pallets with each screen being guidable by a pair of said vertically extending guide tracks when the pallet to which it is attached is in its most inwardly position, and vertically extending partition means attached to said guide tracks, said partition means extending normal to said vertical wall, said guide tracks being in the form of slots for receiving said pallets and said screens and at least four of said air outlet openings being arranged with one pair of side-by-side openings being immediately above a second pair of side-by-side openings. 

1. An isolator crib bank comprising an elongated rectangularly shaped air-filtering unit, said unit having a sheet metal housing with at least one air inlet opening and a plurality of rectangularly shaped grilles forming air outlet openings, said grilles being in a vertical wall of said housing, a pair of horizontally extending guide tracks extending outwardly from the lower corners of each of said grilles, a flat rectangularly shaped pallet slidably disposed between each pair of said guide tracks so as to be movable inwardly and outwardly relative to said vertical wall, a pair of vertically extending guide tracks extending upwardly from the outward ends of each pair of said horizontally extending guide tracks, a roll-type screen mounted at the front edge of each of said pallets with each screen being guidable by a pair of said vertically extending guide tracks when the pallet to which it is attached is in its most inwardly position, and vertically extending partition means attached to said guide tracks, said partition means extending normal to said vertical wall, said guide trAcks being in the form of slots for receiving said pallets and said screens and at least four of said air outlet openings being arranged with one pair of side-by-side openings being immediately above a second pair of side-by-side openings. 